Breeding from your Cat

Preparation:

If you are breeding your female for the first time then you will no doubt be taking her to a stud. A stud list is published annually by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy. This gives the names and addresses of the owners of male pedigree cats who are willing to accept queens for stud, together with details of the pedigrees and the fees payable – these are due in advance. Before doing this you must visit a vet to gain a recent health certificate as well as a FeLV test. The owner of the stud will require these before mating can commence. If a stud owner does not require this information then find a new stud! The male cat should also have had a recent FeLV test. Whilst at the vets get your female cat check for parasites and make sure her vaccinations are up to date. Make sure that you discuss with the male cat's owner what you are paying for. It is recommended for the stud owner to watch the cats just once so that s/he can confirm that breeding has taken place. If no breeding took place do you still pay for breeding? If the litter is still born can you have another stud service? It is best to clear these questions up before the off and then there is little or no confusion further down the line.

Bringing the female back home:

Now that your female cat is hopefully pregnant you can start to plan for the litter. You need to make sure that you have a clean, quiet area for the kitten to give birth and raise her kittens. An ideal place would be in a spare bedroom, a quiet utility or a spare reception room. Nearer the delivery time put your cat in a cage at night-time - this will get her used to the cage for when the kittens are born. If she is not used to being caged then it is an idea to feed her there too. It is advisable to keep cats away from other animals and children in their last week of being pregnant as they can often become aggressive. Pregnant cats tend to sleep more and their appetite increases. Keep a close eye on your cat throughout the pregnancy. It is ideal to ask for advice especially if it is your first litter - why not contact the breeder from where you purchased your cat from?

Delivering the newborn kittens:

It is an idea to be on 'kitten watch' from the 63rd day after breeding onwards. Cats have been known to deliver kittens from day 61 - 69 so be vigilant! Some breeders take a cat's temperature twice daily from the 61st day after breeding until she gives birth. If her temperature is 105 degrees for a couple of days and then drops to 99-98 degrees then expect her to give birth within 12hours. If her temperature goes a few degrees higher than 105 degrees then you have caught a problem arising and call your vet immediately. Another handy tip to know is that most cats will skip their last meal before they are due to give birth.

Labour:

Your cat will settle into her maternity bed just before she gives birth. Line this with old towels, making it warm and cosy. Labour can last up to 12 hours so prepare yourself for a long night! Kittens normally come between 30-40 minute intervals and some may be delivered head first and some will be delivered feet first. Only intervene if necessary, stay at a safe distance and watch the cat very closely. If she is struggling excessively and hasn't given birth in an hour then call your vet as there may be a problem. Once the kitten has been delivered you will find it will be closely connected to the placenta by the cord. The mother will clean the kitten and most often eat the placenta. This is a natural, maternal behaviour and helps with the bonding process. If the mother fails to break the amniotic fluid then you may need to help tear the sack using a towel (never a sharp object), so the kitten can breath. You can also break the sac by pinching gently with your thumb and finger. If the kitten is struggling to breathe then clear its membranes and rub the kitten with a face cloth to try and stimulate breathing. Your cat should bite through the umbilical cord but if she doesn't then you will need to intervene. Do not cut it too close to the kitten as this could cause infection or even death.

Recording each kitten:

Many kittens in a litter look very similar so in order to identify them have something that you can tie round each kitten in order to differentiate between each one. Weigh each individual kitten and jot down any special features or marks. Check that each kitten is breathing properly and then place them in the maternity bed or a special warm nesting area close to their mother. Make sure that the kittens are all being looked after properly by their mother and all equally nursed and then leave them to bond.